Supporting device for hats and garments



Aug. 6, 1935- P. L. LAZARUS 2,010,093

SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR HATS AND GARMENTS Filed Sept. 15, 1934 INVENTOR. PETERL. LHZHRUS UNITED STATES Patented Aug. 6, 1935 PATENT OFFICE SUPPORTING DEVICE FOR HATS AND GARMENTS Peter L. Lazarus, St. Louis, Mo.

Application September 13, 1934, Serial No. 743,789

Claims.

tember 26, 1933.

In the factory production of millinery, between or following the successive production stages of ladies hats, the units, either in finished or partly finished state, are carried on or by a branched I structure characterized by aplurality of projecting, elongate pegs or arms, each of which is in practice, employed to support an individual finis hed or semi-finishedunit, such as a hat. The prevailing practice before the introduction to the trade of devices coveredby the above numbered patent, and those identified as within this application, has consisted in the insertion of the hat or hat body over the free outer end-of one of such pegs or arms. A prevalent difficulty exists, however, particularly with hats formed, according to prevailing style trends, .with an unusually shallow crown, so that the hat structure is only a few inches in depth. The depth of such hats being relatively less than in former designs or styles, this fact has resulted in easy and likely 1 displacement of the hat from its supporting peg,

such displacement taking place as the pegged structure, usually av hat tree, is manually transported from place to place. in the factory, or, as frequently happens, is subjected to an air current, resulting in displacement of the hats from their supporting arms or pegs. 1 u

A general object of the invention may be said to consist in the elimination of the difiiculty aforesaid; a further object consists in "the attainment of improved hat-supporting elements such that the material of the hats, such as, felt or straw, is harmlessly frictionally engaged by a supporting disc-like element of appreciable diameter, and without abrasion or tearing damage to the hat fabric.

A further object of the invention is attained in an arrangement for the purpose noted, in which the auxiliary supporting structures may be applied to existing types of hat trees or particularly the peg elements thereof, without the use of ancillary securing or fastening expedients.

Yet another object consists in certain improvements over the devices of the above numbered patent, such that the nature of the material of the device is better adapted frictionally to engage the hat material, and further such that the effective area of engagement with the hat, is increased, while decreasing the weight of material utilized in each device.

The foregoing and additional objects will more fully and at large appear as the description proceeds, and as considered in connection with the accompanying drawing of certain preferred embodiments of the invention, and in which: i

Fig. 1 is an elevation in perspective of 2. prev- 10 alent type of hat tree, equipped according to the principles of the present invention; Fig. 2 is a plan view of a hat-positioning element, of atype shown in smaller proportion in connection with the hat tree of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a section of the device of Fig. 2, as viewed along line 3-3 thereof, and shown as applied over the end of one of the pegs or arms of the structure of Fig. 1; Fig.

4 is a plan view of a modified form of retaining element; Fig. 5 is a plan view of a still further modified form of a retaining element, and Fig.

6 is a side elevation of an application of the elements of Figs. 2 and 3 in a related, but somewhat different combination.

Referring now by numerals of reference to the drawing, a hat tree of prevailing type is shown in Fig. 1 as consisting of crossed base members 6, centrally apertured to provide a socket for a vertical standard 1, the base elementsbeing provided with braces 8, for rigidity of construction. The vertical standard 1 is shown as being of square cross section, and eachof its lateral faces drilled at evenly spaced vertical intervals as at 9, to provide sockets for the snug frictional reception of hat or garment supporting pegs I, each shown as disposed at a substantial angle, say 30 degrees, to the horizontal. As thus far described, the tree, including the elements 6, 1 and I0, is or may be of conventional construction.

By preference, each of the arms I0 is provided near, say somewhat inwardly of its extreme or free end, with a thick disc or-annulus I l, of highly resilient construction, and centrally apertured as at l 2, the aperture permitting the insertion of the element over the end of the associated peg 5 or arm [0. My preference in placing the body II with respect to the arms is to locate each thereof, say one half or three fourths of an inch, inwardly of the free end of the arm.

Proceeding now to a description of the preferred' construction of the discs, each thereof is preferably formed of a high grade gum stock, and of a highly resilient material, a number of ex: periments having resulted in the selection of a stock essentially of a highly cellular, homogeneposition and thus becoming soiled or damaged.

ous nature, characterized by a high degree of compressibility, a high modulus of elasticity under tension, and ready deformability. The outer surface of the block or disc is characterized in the example shown, by a plurality of open cells it, intervened by the wall or web portions characterizing sponge rubber.

According to the showings of Figs. 4 and 5, the discs or washers are perimetrally scalloped, the scalloped portions being identified with the recesses ll and relatively projecting portions 53 of Fig. 4. In Fig. 5, the relatively projecting portions i9 are rounded or arcuate, and intervened by relatively recessed portions 29. The two forms of Figs. 4 and 5 are apertured, respectively, at El and 22 to embrace and grip the arm, peg or other stationary support for an article of apparel.

in punching or otherwise forming the openings 22 for insertion over the It it is advisable for most advantageous use, that the openings when circular, be of somewhat smaller diameter than that of the pegs it. The material of the discs or washers ll being susceptible of a considerable elasticity or stretch, when introduced over the supporting structure i5, is distended, and so frictionally grips the periphery of the arm or support and retains the element in place without the necessity of any auxiliary or fastening expedients, such as screws, collars or v the like.

In use, it has been found that the provision of an annulus or axially apertured cylindrical body of a friction material, preferably of sponge rubber stock, provides a yieldable, resilient structure frictionally engaging the material such as felt, of

whichthe hats are constructed. It has also been determined that the same structures admirably serve their intended purpose when utilized in connection with hats of straw, and of fabrics other than wool or felt. As the hat is inserted "over a given arm it, provided with a rubber rest by the scallops such as 58 or IE! or by the open cellular cylindrical surface of the form of Figs. 2 and 3. I am aware, of course, that various forms of metal members have been attempted to be used for this purpose but in most cases the smooth surface of the metal fails properly to engage the surface of the hat material. Due to the small extent of this surface engagement the expedients heretofore resorted to in the trade have beenregarded as extremely unsatisfactory.- The free end of the arm ii), which may be of wood, also coacts with the annulus ll of the present combination when utilized as in Fig. 3, in preventing the. individual'hat, hat body or other article of apparel from sliding or r'ollingfrom its A further advantage in the use of a spongeor cellular-rubber stock for the elements ll, is

found in the fact that they obviate any hazard of tearing or snagging the fabrics of hats or other articles of apparel, as has heretofore been experienced to a certain extent in the use of metal holding devices. Further, the rubber discs or cylinders of the present invention obviate any ,hazard of discoloration of hat fabrics, as might result from'the use of metal, due to surface corrosion, rusting, etc., of the metal articles.

, t is obvious that the present invention is not restricted to specific proportions in the construction of the sponge rubber rests illustrated as an embodiment. For example, for hats of larger size or diameter, or of deeper crown, the cylindrical bodies or rests l i, will be of relatively larger areas and if circular, of larger diameter than for smaller, shallow crown hats. Further, if constructed of somewhat greater relative diameter than is illustrated for the support of millinery, the elements H are most advantageously employed as supports for dresses, coats and other articles of wearing apparel, whether of cotton, silk, wool or other material. The extreme flexibility and ready conformity of the sponge rubber stock results in a high coefficient of friction between the cylindrical body or disc and the article of apparel suspended in engagement therewith. It is to be noted that this feature is of particular value when the device is employed for the hanging of light weight silk or rayon garments, which because of the extreme smoothness of the fabric, tend to slip and fall from a metal hanger, hook orpeg.

As one example of the utilization of the devices of my invention as frictional rests for articles of wearing apparel generally, there is illustrated by Fig. 6 an application of a pair of the sponge ment hanger 23f In this combination, as in those illustrated by the preceding figures, the substantial depth of the disc provides, in comparison with the discs'of my earlier invention, a greatly enhanced marginal or perimetralfabric-engaging surface, whereas in the former devices for this purpose, such area of engagement was restricted to that afforded by a relatively thin and more rigid stock forming the less flexible annulus.

In the selection of a stock for constructing the cylindrical or annular elements H, 'a sheet material of at least three-fourths inch in normal thickness is preferred. In the articles of larger size, an even greater thickness serves .to enhance the perimetral area engaged by the hat or other article of apparel.

The rubber bodies ll may be formed by diecutting or punching the elements from sheet stock, the aperture depthwise or axially of the piece being formed either by a separate, or by the same punching operation which serves to define the outer margins and shape of the elements.

drical or annular bodies of soft rubber, may be varied substantially, within the scope of the appended claims, the example herein described in' detail being intended as illustrative of, rather than as. limiting the possibilities of the'invntion. r

I'claim: 1. As an article of manufacture, an'element adapted as a support for hats and articles of wearing apparel, said element consisting of a disc of substantial'thickness adapted for mounting in perimetral engagement with the article to be supported, the element being formed of rubber and having an opening axially therethrough to receive a garment-supporting structure, the rubber forming said element being characterized by a highly cellular internal structure, presenting to the garment thin irregular cell walls of rubber and intervening cell openings, the element nature.

2. As an'article of manufacture, an elementadapted as a support for hats and articles of wearing apparel, said element consisting of a unitary annulus or band of sponge rubber susceptible of substantial stretch to permit extensive elongation of its aperture, and permitting deformation to frictionally embrace a, portion of the article-supporting structure, the element presenting an edge surface characterized by thin cell walls and substantial cell openings.

3. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted as a support for articles of wearing apparel and consisting of a disc characterized by a substantial depth in proportion to its diameter, and formed of a rubber body formed of a highly elastic gum stock, characterized by a highly cellular internal structure, the rubber body being depthwise apertured to receive and embrace a stationary arm or element for supporting the wearing apparel, the body being susceptible of stretch to a degree permitting elongation of its aperture to substantially rectilinear form.

4. As an article of manufacture, an axially circularly apertured, substantially cylindrical element of homogeneous cellular construction adapted for frictional application to a supporting structure for wearing apparel, the element presenting a perimetral surface to the article of wearing apparel, which is characterized by numerous thin, irregular cell walls edgewise presented to the garment, and intervened by substantial cell openings, the element being formed of a gum stock susceptible of stretch to permit elongation of the aperture to a substantially rectilinear form.

5. As an article of manufacture, an element adapted as a support for hats and articles of wearing apparel, said element consisting of a block of sponge rubber of gum stock and of scalloped external conformity, depthwise apertured to receive and embrace a supporting structure, and formed to project laterally of such structure and to present a substantial perimetral surface for frictional engagement of the hat or article to be supported thereby, said surface being characterized by thin cell walls edgewise presented toward and forming the article-supporting surface, the cell walls being intervened by substantial cell openings, and the stock being of such elasticity as to permit elongation of the aperture to substantially rectilinear form.

PETER L. LAZARUS. 

